We reveal one key area every major Toowoomba elite club needs to focus on for 2025
The new year is here and we have run the rule across the four major elite sporting teams based in the Garden City. Here’s what should be on the wish list of our top clubs in 2025.
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With the new year here, The Chronicle Sports Team running the rule over each of the Darling Downs’ major elite sports clubs and what their new year’s resolution should be.
Check out what each team will be hoping for in 2025 here.
Western Clydesdales men’s team
2025 wish: Added experience to the backline
As the Clydesdales embark on their third season in the Hostplus Cup, they once again find themselves in a similar situation to where they were 12 months ago, looking to replace the talented core of players who have moved on in the off-season.
For 2025, the Clydesdales’ biggest wish should be to add some experience to their backs.
In 2024, Esom Ioka - who has moved to North Queensland in 2025 - was the Clydesdales’ most experienced back despite making his Hostplus Cup debut in 2023.
While it will take a lot more than one experienced player in the backline to help the Clydesdales, a talented playmaker with elite level experience could at least lay down the foundations for future years to come.
Western Clydesdales women’s team
2025 wish: Find replacements for NRLW stars
With the BMD Premiership undergoing a competition restructure which means it will now run in line with the NRLW, the Clydesdales will be forced to find replacements for their key NRLW stars from 2024.
While the Clydesdales are not alone in this challenge, with every team impacted by the changes, whichever side can fill the gaps the best could go a long way towards winning the premiership in what is a cutthroat competition.
Toowoomba Mountaineers men
2025 wish: Hold onto leads
The QSL men’s competition is one of the fiercest leagues in Queensland, with a bad spell of form at the wrong time of the season the difference between a finals spot and a last placed finish.
With a competition like this where every game has incredible ramifications, throwing away double-digit leads on multiple occasions in a season is unacceptable.
This will without a doubt be coach Sean Connelly’s biggest focus throughout this off-season leading into the 2025 campaign after the Mountaineers threw away what should have been comfortable wins on too many occasions last year.
If Connelly can fix this issue either by bringing in experienced individuals or tweaking the game plan and rotations, then the Mountaineers can be championships contenders once again.
Toowoomba Mountaineers women
2025 wish: Knock down open looks
The Toowoomba Mountaineers women’s side has improved in leaps and bounds over the last few years, from being in a decade-long playoff abyss, to now asserting itself as one of the stronger programs in the QSL, the rebuild has been exciting to say the least.
One of the big issues which coach Matt Cox could not seem to find an answer to last season was the regular missed open shots from his side.
With captain and centre Mia Stower providing an imposing presence in the paint, the Mountaineers managed to create several open opportunities both under the rim and from the edge of the arc in 2024.
However, despite the impressive playmaking from the Neers, they regularly struggled to convert these open looks.
If the Mountaineers can bring in a regular efficient scorer to support Stower and knock down those open looks, then it could be the piece which takes them from a strong team to genuine contender.
South West Thunder women
2025 wish: Find Abbey Lloyd replacement
The South West Thunder women’s side had a 2023 to remember when they dominated the FQPL1 competition on the way to a grand final berth where they were eventually defeated by the Brisbane City juggernaut.
The Thunder found the back of the net 56 times during the regular season and Abbey Lloyd was a major reason why.
The star striker scored 29 goals throughout that season and there was always going to be a gap to fill in 2024 when she departed to Souths United.
The 2024 campaign was a polar opposite for the Thunder as they scored just 22 goals and conceded 56.
With Mick Turvey returning to the helm, it is clear he will need to improve the team's attacking and defensive records.
If the Thunder can unearth another regular goal threat capable of scoring upwards of 10 goals a season, it could provide a major confidence boost for the team moving forward as they look to return to their heights of the 2023 campaign.
South West Thunder men
2025 wish: Limit damage of form slump
Plenty of teams from across the globe in countless sporting codes will come across some of form of mid-season form slump.
What separates the strong teams from the rest is how they respond to the adversity.
The Thunder men’s side stormed out of the blocks last year and confidence was high within the squad after picking up 10 points from the opening four games.
However, between round 5 and round 19, the Thunder picked up just seven points, suffering 12 defeats during that 15 game span.
South West then showed what it was capable of at its best, picking up three wins in a row to end the season but by that stage, any hopes of making a finals run were dashed.
With Nick Rundle taking over as head coach for 2025 and Joe Jones joining as a marquee signing, there will without a doubt be a major focus on ensuring a lengthy form slump like that does not occur again.
Darling Downs Panthers
2025 wish: A breakout star or two
Speaking to this masthead after the Panthers finalised their Ruby Series squad head coach Chris Beckett said he was excited to welcome a number of veterans stars for the 2025 season.
A youthful Panthers 2024 side lacked direction and leadership so the likes of Khloe Fanning, Molly Gore and Jessica Cerezo are welcome additions.
Beckett is also excited about the potential of the young players who have been named in the squad after working their way through the club’s junior development teams.
The Panthers will be hoping some of those young players can turn potential into performances on court to be bring an X-factor to their play.
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